PANAMANIAN DIPLOMATIC AND SECURITY STRATEGY REDUCES THE FLOW THROUGH THE DARIEN GAP TO 150 MIGRANTS DAILY

• Under the leadership of President Laurentino Cortizo Cohen, joint actions were carried out with 10 countries, to address irregular migratory flows.

• The Foreign Ministry led multilateral meetings across America to agree on a regional response to the phenomenon of irregular migration.

Panama, February 1, 2022. Foreign Minister Erika Mouynes, Minister of Public Security, Juan Manuel Pino, and the Director of the National Immigration Service, Samira Gozaine; made a balance of the work carried out to date, which shows a dramatic reduction from 2,461 migrants at its highest point (August 2021) to an average of 140 daily admissions in the present, through the Darien Gap.

The authorities evaluated in detail the achievements thanks to coordination that addresses the effects of the entry of migrants, up to 133,726 during the year 2021.

“Multilateral diplomatic approaches have borne fruit. Since the first ministerial summit convened by Panama in August of last year, we have engaged more than ten strategic partners in the region, including the United States, Canada, and Colombia. Everyone has supported the Panamanian request to address the phenomenon with responsibility, coordination, and a humanitarian approach”, the Foreign Minister said.

Panama is the only country on the migrant route that verifies entry numbers and captures biometric data from this population, to which it also provides shelter, food, vaccinations and health care for children and pregnant women. "The reduction of these migratory flows allows us to provide better care, without saturating our facilities," said Minister Mouynes.

"International collaboration to address this global phenomenon has shown subtractions and although we are optimistic, we are cautiously monitoring the data, and preparing ourselves to face possible ups and downs in the evolution of this complex situation, always in coordination with the international community," said the chief. of Panamanian diplomacy.

It was recalled that, after the first High-Level Ministerial Meeting on Irregular Migration in the Americas, convened by Panama on August 11, the first Meeting of Attorneys General of the region was held and an important joint work session of the Directors of Migration of the area.

Likewise, as a result of the Panamanian strategy, the bilateral meeting with Colombia on August 6, 2021, with the visit of the Vice President and Foreign Minister Marta Lucía Ramírez; the meeting in the framework of the United Nations with the United States Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and the Central American foreign ministers, on September 23, and the high-level Security dialogue between Panama and the United States, on October 14.

As an additional reference, Panama has been part of the Alliance for Development in Democracy since 2021, together with the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica, with the objective, among other mandates, of promoting the recovery of Haiti, the country of origin of nearly 80% of emigrants. irregulars that crossed Panama during 2021.

EXPOCOMER 2022: The International Trade Exhibition is back!

The Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama organize EXPOCOMER, a multisectoral trade exhibition, which is focuses on three main categories: Food, Beverage and Agricultural Products; Textile, Clothes and Accessories; Technology and Electronics.

The thirty eight version of EXPOCOMER seeks to promote trade and industry settling once again as the ideal for the presentation of new products and services event. With a total exhibition area of over 15,500 square meters, and the participation of over 600 exhibitors representing 30 countries, distributed in more than 800 exhibit booths.

PANAMA PARTICIPATES IN THE INAUGURATION CEREMONY FOR THE LARGEST PROTECTED MARINE CORRIDOR IN THE WORLD

On Friday, January 14, Panama’s Foreign Minister Erika Mouynes participated in the inauguration ceremony for the newly expanded Hermandad-Galapagos marine reserve in Ecuador. The expansion links marine reserves in Panama, Costa Rica and Colombia to form the largest marine corridor on the planet – an effort initiated by Panama and agreed to during COP26.  

The expansion will help further preserve the biodiversity of the region and protect critical migration routes. Together, the countries’ reserves will guarantee the survival of 40% of global marine species. 

“We welcome Ecuador’s rapid response to honor the ’30×30′ alliance that ensures transnational protection to this great marine corridor,” said Mouynes. “The amount of biodiversity that’s been protected is setting an example to the world and has generated great interest. It’s definitely a gift we have given our planet,” she added. 

At the inauguration, Minister Mouynes congratulated Ecuador’s President Guillermo Lasso for his country’s achievement, calling it “an important step in the protection of our common ocean.” She also spoke with regional and global conservation leaders, including Colombian President Iván Duque and former American President Bill Clinton. 

Under Minister Mouynes’ leadership, Panama has made conservation a key pillar of its climate diplomacy agenda. Developments like this one demonstrate the effectiveness of Panama’s leadership on environmental issues, which has led to tangible results in safeguarding the region’s natural beauty and biodiversity. In conservation, Panama has led not only by example – by becoming the first country to commit to and achieve conserving 30% of its territorial waters – but also by spurring regional action, most recently initiating efforts to add Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands to the conservation corridor. 

Panama pursues bold climate diplomacy initiatives like Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor in recognition that no single country can clean up our oceans or halt climate change by itself. Common problems necessitate common solutions. 

Panama applauds Ecuador for its commitments to international marine conservation and looks forward to continuing to foster collaboration in Latin America and on the world stage. 

In Galapagos, Foreign Minister Erika Mouynes spoke with former United States President Bill Clinton about the initiatives Panama promotes in environmental matters and she invited him to Panama to learn about projects such as the National Oceans Policy, which are generating so much positive attention from the international community.

PANAMA'S FOREIGN MINISTER MOUYNES AND U.S. SPECIAL PRESIDENTIAL ENVOY FOR CLIMATEJOHN KERRY HOLD PRODUCTIVE MEETING

During a productive virtual meeting between Foreign Minister Erika Mouynes and U. S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry, Panama reiterated the common interest of the country and the United States in promoting public policies for greater protection of the oceans and effectively reducing CO2 emissions.

PRESIDENT BIDEN HIGHLIGHTS PANAMA’S “INSPIRING” PARTNERSHIP WITH COSTA RICA AND THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC TO STRENGTHEN DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS

Speaking at the Closing Session of the two-day virtual Summit for Democracy hosted by the United States, President Joe Biden applauded Panama’s partnership with Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic to advance the “Alliance for Development in Democracy” (ADD), a recently-formed regional group dedicated to strengthening democratic institutions and unlocking new economic opportunities for citizens of the three-member nations and neighboring countries.  

“I’m so encouraged by the energy and the enthusiasm we’ve seen to rally people around the world in support of our shared democratic values”, President Biden noted. “In advance of this Summit, the presidents of Panama, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic formed an ‘alliance to strengthen democratic institutions’… to cooperate on transparency, human rights, economic development, and strengthening democracy throughout the region.” The alliance, President Biden continued, represents “the sort of inspiring commitment” that will be central to safeguarding shared democratic values throughout the Americas in 2022 and beyond. 

Panama’s Foreign Minister Erika Mouynes said the partnership reaffirms Panama’s historical ties with Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic and provides a clear mandate for the three nations to work together for the mutual benefit of their democratic institutions and citizens. It also creates an opportunity for member states to work more closely with the United States and other global democratic partners to address the key challenges facing Central America and the Caribbean, from irregular migration to economic inclusion to climate change. “The Alliance for Development in Democracy is a strategic link to [form closer relationships with] partners such as the European Union, the United States and [partners in] Asia… with which we will promote employment and new opportunities for the citizens of our three countries,” Minister Mouynes explained.  

Over the last three decades, Panama has solidified its democratic tradition, expanded its support for human rights, press freedom, and transparency, and cemented its reputation as a staunch advocate of multilateral cooperation to address shared challenges. Panama’s delegation to the Summit for Democracy affirmed the country’s commitment to further strengthening its own democratic institutions while forging multilateral partnerships with like-minded governments during the forthcoming “Year of Action”, before the world’s democracies reconvene for a second Summit next year.  








"ON HAITI : TO SHARE RESPONSIBILITY IN HANDLING IRREGULAR MIGRATION" WAS THE CALL FROM THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER ERIKA MOUYNES DURING MINISTERIAL SUMMIT

• The virtual meeting followed up the progress since the first ministerial summit, that Panama convened in August 2021, to address the phenomenon of irregular migration on the continent.

• Panama, as a founding member of the Alliance for Development in Democracy, reiterated the importance that Haiti be able to hold elections this year and ensure stability for the integral and sustainable development of the sister country.

Panama, January 21 (2021).- Foreign Minister Erika Mouynes participated in the ministerial summit convened by the Government of Canada to address the security situation in Haiti, its democratic challenges and the consequences of irregular migration in the American continent.

"Today's meeting is a firm step that, together and in coordination, leads us towards a more peaceful and safer Haiti for its citizens," said the minister during the meeting opened by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, which was attended by participation of the Haitian Prime Minister, Ariel Henry.

As the current president of the Central American Integration System (SICA), Panama has placed Haiti among the priorities of the regional agenda, along with the goal of "unlocking" economic growth and "promoting the development of local markets for goods and services, the fight against poverty and inequality, the protection of natural resources, the prevention and management of disasters and the fight against organized crime and democratic security”, added the Panamanian minister.

The head of Panamanian diplomacy invited the other countries to get involved and share responsibilities to "work together, support the efforts of the Haitian government and address this situation in a comprehensive manner."

On August 11, Panama convened the first ministerial meeting to address this growing phenomenon, with the participation of ten countries in the region. That meeting has generated other technical meetings, involving more countries and broadening the discussion on the factors that encourage the irregularity of the migratory phenomenon, which begin to provide answers to the needs of Haiti.

In 2020, some 8,000 people crossed the “Darién Gap” irregularly, a record that exceeded 130,000 in 2021, 80% of them Haitians.

The foreign ministers of Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, France, Japan, Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines participated in the meeting . Also represented were the European Union, the United Nations (UN), the Organization of American States (OAS), the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the International Organization of Migrations (IOM) and the International Organization of the Francophonie (OIF).

FIRST PANAMANIAN WOMAN ELECTED TO JOIN THE INTER-AMERICAN JURIDICAL COMMITTEE

During the celebration of the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) held on January 19, 2022, the Panamanian candidate, Martha Luna Veliz, was elected to join the prestigious Inter-American Juridical Committee (CJI) for the period 2022-2026 .

Martha Luna Veliz is a specialist in the development of money laundering and terrorist financing prevention policies. She is one of the founders of the Panamanian Tax Institute (INSPAT), member of the Tax Law Commission of the National Bar Association, as well as director of the Panamanian Association of Business Executives (APEDE). She had an outstanding participation in the Commission convened by the Ministry of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Panama, for the elaboration of the Tax Procedure Code and the review of the Criminal Legislation related to Tax Fraud.

The Inter-American Juridical Committee is the advisory body of the OAS on legal matters, in charge of promoting the progressive development and codification of international law and studying the possibility of standardizing the legislation of the countries of the Hemisphere. It is made up of eleven national jurists from the Member States, elected for a four-year term.

In this way, Martha Luna Veliz will be the fourth Panamanian to have the honor of integrating the Inter-American Juridical Committee since its creation in 1942. Previous Panamanian members of the CJI were the jurists Roberto Alemán Zubieta, Juan Materno Vásquez and Feliciano Olmedo Sanjur.

Panama continues to recognize and position professional women and strengthen the country's presence at the international level, forming an active part of different Commissions, Committees, and multilateral advisory Councils whose mission is to promote and achieve the sustainable development goals of the 2030 Agenda.

Virtual Book of Condolences to honor the memory and legacy of H. E. Juan R. De Dianous, Ambassador of Panama to the United States.

On the sad occasion of the passing of Ambassador Juan R. De Dianous, the Embassy of Panama in the United States of America makes this virtual book of condolences available from November 18 to 26 for those interested in sending their condolences and messages of solidarity to the De Dianous family.

Notes Verbales and Diplomatic Notes may also be sent in PDF format to the following email:  assistant@embassyofpanama.org

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